The Ordnance Survey map shows both a church and a holy well. The well is located close to the waters edge about 80 metres down a gently sloping hill behind the church ruins. Ironically, the well, despite being surrounded by water, was bone-dry, due to the rain-free winter. I must confess an affection for holy wells in general. Whereas round towers and abbeys represent the endurance of organised religion, most of it imported from Europe, the holy wells represent tha faith and customs of ordinary people. True, many of the wells, including probably this one, have assumed a Christian significance (and were probably used for baptisms), others date from earlier times. Most wells are just small springs lined with a few stones and of course, the ubiquitous blackstorn tree - to endure, they must be constantly maintained. All around the country, people still pay their respects at the wells, leave small keepsakes, keep them clean and tidy and pass on the custom to the next generation. It reflects, not just a traditional Christian or Catholic devotion, but a wider spiritual beleif and also a sense that it is a tradition that should be passed on to the next generation. It is also largely an oral tradition - the history of many wells exist as local folklore. we'll all be that much poorer when we can no longer remember the significance of these places.
The well at Inishmicatreer is still in use, as evidenced by the rosary beads and holy water bottle, though I had the impression that, outside of the farmer's own family, there are probably few people that know about the well or visit it anymore.
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